With the holiday season fast approaching, we can’t help but get excited. Christmas is usually a great opportunity to spend joyful time with your family or closest friends. But holidays can also be quite stressful, especially if you plan on traveling.
Are ten shirts enough to bring for a two-week holiday? Will your winter shoes fit in your suitcase? Do you even need a suitcase?
If this is what goes on in your head, you’ve come to the right place. We prepared 7 tips that will help you pack up for your two-week holiday and make the most of it.
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Constrain yourself.
The key to packing light to maximize capacity is self-control. People usually go crazy when they pack and bring a lot of clothes they’ll never even put on. They pack for the „what if. “
What if the weather suddenly changes and you need a jacket? What if you decide to have a nice dinner and you need a dress?
These are not the most likely scenarios. If you’re visiting a tropical place, you’re very unlikely to need a jacket all of a sudden. Even if you do, you can easily buy it there. They have clothing stores, don’t they?
This goes especially for bulky items like winter jackets or boots that take up a lot of space in your luggage.
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Choose the right carry-on.
Opting for a carry-on instead of a suitcase has numerous benefits: it’s not only less bulky, but you’re also minimizing the chances of having your luggage lost or stolen.
The best carry-on bag can be used in multiple ways: you can carry it, roll it, or strap it to your back. It should also be large enough to pack enough clothes but not too large, as most airlines have sizing standards you need to stick to.
Now, we understand that bringing a carry-on isn’t always possible, especially if you plan on indulging in too many different activities. If this sounds familiar to you, we advise you to look into what are the types of luggage to choose the right option.
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Layering is key.
The best way to pack lightly is to make sure each item is interchangeable.
Choose neutral-colored tops and bottoms that you can combine, instead of multiple dresses. This way, you’ll have a lot of options and bring fewer clothes. If you don’t have at least two looks out of every item of clothing, you’re packing the wrong clothes.
Also, make sure you’re not bringing too many shoes. You don’t need two pairs of high heels, two pairs of sneakers, and two pairs of boots. Most of the time, you don’t need more than three pairs of shoes.
Of course, the only way you can achieve this is by planning at least 60% of your outfits. This may sound impossible, but soon you’ll discover you need way less clothing than you thought.
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Fold clothes the right way.
There are multiple ways you can fold your clothes, but not all of them are effective when you’re packing a carry-on.
Instead of folding your clothes the way you usually do, roll them. This way, you will not only save space, but you’ll also be able to easily see what you have in your carry-on without completely unpacking.
Another way you can save space is by using compression cubes. All you need to do is fold your clothes the way you usually do, put them into the compression cube, and zip them. You will not only save space but also be able to organize your items better.
For instance, you can pack all your shirts in one compression cube and bottoms in the other.
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Put on your bulkiest items and wear them on the plane.
Lastly, a good way to save more space in your luggage is to wear the bulkiest items on the plane. Items like winter jackets, boots, sneakers, and jumpers take up a lot of space. So, before you start packing your clothes in compression cubes, pick out what you’ll wear on the plane.
This way, you can use this additional space for something else or even size down your luggage.
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Wash clothes on your trip.
A lot of people seem to forget they can wash their clothes by hand when traveling, thus bringing too many items. This is especially important if you’re packing bulky items like sweaters or workout clothes – you can bring two sweaters for the entire trip and switch them up.
Of course, you shouldn’t wash all your clothes by hand. Underwear, for instance, should be machine-washed. But, you can over this as well if you’re planning on staying in rentals that have a washing machine.
p.s. There is no need to drag laundry detergent into your luggage when you can simply buy it at your location. We know this seems obvious, but many people still seem to forget that they can buy nearly everything at their location.
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Downsize your beauty bag.
Beauty bags can take up a lot of space. Hair products, skincare products, and makeup sometimes take up more space than clothing, especially if you’re bringing full-sized bottles. You can’t travel light if you’re carrying three night creams and a hydrating serum.
So, the first thing you want to do is reevaluate what you need. Do you really need all those night creams, or can you get away with just one for those two weeks? Can you maybe use your regular hair conditioner as a leave-in as well?
Another great tip is to collect samples of the products you usually use. This way, you won’t even need to buy small containers.
As for the makeup, we advise you to buy a makeup palette in travel size. This way, you can have everything you need in one small box: from a few staple eyeshadow colors to blush and bronzer. Just don’t forget to fold a tissue and place it between the eyeshadow and lid, as they tend to crack easily.
Conclusion
Packing light is not as difficult as everyone thinks. All you need to do is plan things ahead – what activities do you plan on having on your vacation, and what kinds of clothes fit into these plans?
Once you have that down, it all comes down to self-control. Remember that you can pack only two pairs of jeans and still look amazing!
